D6:More than a conference. A movement in family ministry.

About five years ago, our church became much more intentional about equipping parents as the primary disciplers of their children. That's what Deuteronomy 6 is all about, particularly verses 4-9:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Old models of children's and youth ministry invited parents to drop their children off and let the church take care of their spiritual needs. Statistics show us, though, that that model doesn't work and that family matters. This shouldn't surprise us, given what God has already shown us in Deuteronomy 6.

By high school, I went to church alone a lot of the time. I went to two different churches, and I don't think leaders at either church tried to engage my parents. To be honest, I don't think most of the leaders even knew that I came alone. Lots of kids separated from their parents as soon as they arrived at church, and I just seemed like one of those kids. It's rare for kids whose parents are disengaged from church to become adults who love the church, but I've always been a bit of an oddball. God can do anything, and I am thankful for that.

Because I see the difference that family makes - especially now as my husband and I raise our two preschoolers and any other children God brings to our family in the future - I love what the D6 conference is all about. According to their website, 

Deuteronomy 6:7 tells us three things: Love God, treasure His Word, and teach this to the next generation. The vision of the D6 Conference is to champion a movement of parents who disciple their own kids and teens in partnership with their local church. The D6 Conference is dedicated to helping churches, leaders, parents, and volunteers to develop a generational discipleship model based on Deuteronomy 6. 

And I'm excited to be among the pre-conference workshop speakers this year. Yep, there will be at least two labs on special needs ministry from yours truly. I am humbled and excited.

D6 2012 will be September 26-28 in the Dallas area. I know it seems like a long ways off right now, but you might want to make a decision SOON. Why? Because from now until November 22, you can register an unlimited number of team members for just $169 each, plus your Senior Pastor attends FREE (just use the code PASTOR12; only one code allowed per church). 

Go to d6conference.com to register or learn more!